What land is to be divided among the nine and a half tribes, and who is named to divide it?

Atlas of Saints · Chapter summary

The Lord gives the southern, western, northern, and eastern limits of Chanaan and names Eleazar, Josue, and one prince from each listed tribe to divide it. Moses says this land is for nine and a half tribes because Ruben, Gad, and half Manasses already have their eastern portion.

Chapter breakdown

The Lord tells Moses to command Israel about Chanaan. When the people enter and receive it as a possession by lot, it will have the stated boundaries. The southern side begins at the wilderness of Sin by Edom, with the most salt sea as its furthest eastern limit. Challoner’s note identifies this sea as the lake of Sodom, otherwise called the Dead Sea. That identification is commentary, kept separate from the verse.

The southern limits go around by the ascent of the Scorpion into Senna, reaching south as far as Cadesbarne. They then go out to the town of Adar and reach Asemona. From Asemona they curve toward the torrent of Egypt and end at the shore of the great sea. Challoner’s note says the Scorpion is a mountain named for its great number of scorpions. A separate note identifies the great sea as the Mediterranean.

The west side begins at the great sea, which is also its end. The northern borders begin at the great sea and reach the most high mountain. Challoner’s note identifies that mountain as Libanus. From there the borders go to Emath, as far as the borders of Sedada, then to Zephrona and the village of Enan. These are the northern limits.

The eastern boundary is marked from the village of Enan to Sephama. From Sephama it goes down to Rebla opposite the fountain of Daphnis, then eastward to the sea of Cenereth. Challoner’s note identifies Cenereth as the sea of Galilee and mentions the miracles of the Lord associated with it. The border reaches the Jordan and closes at the most salt sea. This is the land with its borders all around.

Moses commands the children of Israel that this is the land they will possess by lot, which the Lord has commanded to be given to nine tribes and a half tribe. Ruben by its families, Gad according to its kindreds, and half the tribe of Manasses—two and a half tribes—have received their portion beyond the Jordan, eastward opposite Jericho. This is the reason Moses gives for the stated number receiving Chanaan.

The Lord speaks to Moses again and names those who will divide the land: Eleazar the priest, Josue son of Nun, and one prince from each tribe. For Juda, he names Caleb son of Jephone. For Simeon, he names Samuel son of Ammiud.

For Benjamin, the man is Elidad son of Chaselon. For the children of Dan, it is Bocci son of Jogli. For the children of Joseph of the tribe of Manasses, it is Hanniel son of Ephod. For Ephraim, it is Camuel son of Sephtan. For Zabulon, it is Elisaphan son of Pharnach. For Issachar, it is Phaltiel the prince, son of Ozan.

For Aser, the man is Ahiud son of Salomi. For Nephtali, it is Phedael son of Ammiud. These are the men the Lord has commanded to divide Chanaan among the children of Israel. The chapter names their task but does not narrate the later division being carried out.

The story inside

The chapter defines both the land and the people responsible for dividing it. Its boundary instructions name four sides and their markers, closing the eastern side at the most salt sea. Moses’ speech then identifies the recipients: nine and a half tribes, because two and a half already have their portion east of the Jordan. The next passage is the Lord speaking to Moses, naming Eleazar, Josue, and the tribal princes. These are related instructions, but they are not the same recorded act: Moses’ speech about the recipients is narrated, while his later announcement of the roster is not. The chapter supplies names and a mandate, without giving a surveying method, a lot-casting ceremony, or a report of how the later division turned out.

Lessons worth keeping

1
The boundaries have named markers on every side. Keeping Sin, the seas, the towns, and the Jordan in their stated order preserves the actual limits rather than replacing them with a vague map description.
2
The number of recipient tribes has a stated reason. Nine and a half are to receive this land because Ruben, Gad, and half Manasses have already received a portion east of the Jordan.
3
The task is assigned to named people. Eleazar, Josue, and the listed princes with their fathers’ names are commanded to divide Chanaan; the chapter does not supply an extra reason for each appointment or narrate their later work.

Test your recall

Why does Moses say Chanaan is to be given to nine and a half tribes rather than to all the tribes named in Israel?

Source edition and notes

Douay–Rheims, revised by Richard Challoner (1749–1752). Project Gutenberg no. 1581. Locators refer to lines in the admitted pg1581.txt edition. Source notes may include Challoner commentary.

Lines 18255–18270
Numbers Chapter 34 The limits of Chanaan; with the names of the men that make the division of it. 34:1. And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: 34:2. Command the children of Israel, and thou shalt say to them: When you are entered into the land of Chanaan, and it shall be fallen into your possession by lot, it shall be bounded by these limits: 34:3. The south side shall begin from the wilderness of Sin, which is by Edom: and shall have the most salt sea for its furthest limits eastward: The most salt sea.... The lake of Sodom, otherwise called the Dead Sea.
Lines 18272–18283
34:4. Which limits shall go round on the south side by the ascent of the Scorpion and so into Senna, and reach toward the south as far as Cadesbarne, from whence the frontiers shall go out to the town called Adar, and shall reach as far as Asemona. The Scorpion.... A mountain so called from having a great number of scorpions. 34:5. And the limits shall fetch a compass from Asemona to the torrent of Egypt, and shall end in the shore of the great sea. The great sea.... The Mediterranean.
Lines 18285–18297
34:6. And the west side shall begin from the great sea, and the same shall be the end thereof. 34:7. But toward the north side the borders shall begin from the great sea, reaching to the most high mountain, The most high mountain.... Libanus. 34:8. From which they shall come to Emath, as far as the borders of Sedada: 34:9. And the limits shall go as far as Zephrona, and the village of Enan. These shall be the borders on the north side.
Lines 18299–18311
34:10. From thence they shall mark out the bounds towards the east side from the village of Enan unto Sephama. 34:11. And from Sephama the bounds shall go down to Rebla over against the fountain of Daphnis: from thence they shall come eastward to the sea of Cenereth, Sea of Cenereth.... This is the sea of Galilee, illustrated by the miracles of our Lord. 34:12. And shall reach as far as the Jordan, and at the last shall be closed in by the most salt sea. This shall be your land with its borders round about.
Lines 18313–18322
34:13. And Moses commanded the children of Israel, saying: This shall be the land which you shall possess by lot, and which the Lord hath commanded to be given to the nine tribes, and to the half tribe. 34:14. For the tribe of the children of Ruben by their families, and the tribe of the children of Gad according to the number of their kindreds, and half of the tribe of Manasses, 34:15. That is, two tribes and a half, have received their portion beyond the Jordan over against Jericho at the east side.
Lines 18324–18335
34:16. And the Lord said to Moses: 34:17. These are the names of the men, that shall divide the land unto you: Eleazar the priest, and Josue the son of Nun, 34:18. And one prince of every tribe, 34:19. Whose names are these: Of the tribe of Juda, Caleb the son of Jephone. 34:20. Of the tribe of Simeon, Samuel the son of Ammiud.
Lines 18336–18347
34:21. Of the tribe of Benjamin, Elidad the son of Chaselon. 34:22. Of the tribe of the children of Dan, Bocci the son of Jogli. 34:23. Of the children of Joseph of the tribe of Manasses, Hanniel the son of Ephod. 34:24. Of the tribe of Ephraim, Camuel the son of Sephtan. 34:25. Of the tribe of Zabulon, Elisaphan the son of Pharnach. 34:26. Of the tribe of Issachar, Phaltiel the prince, the son of Ozan.
Lines 18349–18356
34:27. Of the tribe of Aser, Ahiud the son of Salomi. 34:28. Of the tribe of Nephtali: Phedael the son of Ammiud. 34:29. These are they Whom the Lord hath commanded to divide the land of Chanaan to the children of Israel.